I'm seriously considering purchasing a Hobie Outback for fishing, and would like to hear some of you're experiences.

I'll be fishing in Indiana in generally slow moving, moderately deep rivers. Primariely will be fishing for Smallmouth Bass.

For those of you who have fished out of a canoe, what are the up and down sides of fishing out of the Outback?

How does it do in shallower water? The rivers I fish are moderately deep, however, there are several riffles that are quite shallow. Do the fins that you pedal (I'm not sure if those are the right words or not!) pose any problems? Will they break off, or is there a way to retract them easily without leaving the boat?

We got an Outback and a Sport last July and fished just about every weekend til it got too cold (October). We fished both Long Island Sound and local fresh water lakes, though mostly in the Sound.

For many years, we fished from a canoe. There just isn't any question in my opinion...the kayaks are far superior to the canoe. Much more stable, easier to manuever, great for trolling. We feel much more comfortable (and safer) in the yaks, especially in the Sound. You do have a little more freedom of movement in canoes, but after a few trips, we became very comfortable in the yaks. I do a lot of fly fishing and think it's a little easier in a canoe, but have now been able to adjust my casting to the yak. The mirage drive makes it even better because you are totally "hands free". I haven't even bothered to use an anchor in the OB because with the drive you can hold your position quite well, even in current.

The fins (Hobie calls them hydro-sails) are really quite sturdy and I have no concerns re: breaking. As an aside, if something breaks, Hobie stands behind the product and will quickly honor the warranty. I did get the "dreaded crack" in the drive insert area on the OB. I put duct tape on the crack and continued using it until Hobie sent a new hull (about 2 1/2 weeks).

The drive requires about 18 inches of water to work it through a full stroke. There are several options in shallower water. First, with one pedal fully forward, the fins are folded flat against the hull. You can then make short strokes and still move the boat, though not as fast as full strokes. Also, the drive is readily removable while in the yak...it takes about 10 seconds. We always remove the drives when launching and landing.

Another nice feature with the Hobies is the ability to sail. We did a little and it's a hoot, though we were too busy fishing to do much sailing.

I guess it's not too hard to tell that I am a real fan of Hobie and the mirage drive. Go for it.

Hey Rick,
What DrWilki said, plus another hearty welcome to the Hobie site!. If you are under 6 ft, under 200 lbs, and have an inseam length of under 32 inches, you might also want to check out the Hobie Sport model: lighter in weight, a bit more maneuverable in rivers and enclosed bodies of water, but it is also rigged for fishing and has the gunwale tackle trays just like the OB. Also, as DrWilki pointed out, don't worry about the Mirage drive in shallow water--just pull it and lay it on the bow, or fold the flippers up against the hull, all done from inside the cockpit in a matter of seconds.
Best,
Dick